Mindfulness In Nutrition Series, #2: Mealtime Mindfulness
Calorie restriction, hunger, low energy, poor recovery, bad sleep and weight gain. These are all things that you can be sure to deal with while on conventional diets. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
We’re far better off if our intention is centred around adopting new habits and that in and of itself can be incredibly difficult. Our bodies and brains don’t want to change. They like uniformity, for better or for worse. Imposing overly intense workout programs and restrictive diets of any kind is a sure fire way to find yourself right back where you were or even worse off than when you started. Lasting change takes time.
Take a breath…
Your intention to change is an AMAZING thing and the inspiration to crush it everyday is beautiful so keep it up. But I’m more interested in how you respond on your worst days, not your best.
If we are to create a new habit and turn that into a true skill then let's use what we’ve already learned to our advantage!
Now that we’re getting used to controlling our portions with the hand method and slowing down while eating let’s take it one further.
A couple of things to remember:
Mealtime Mindfulness
Turn meal time into a ritual. When you feel hungry get away from your phone, computer or anything distracting and find a place where you can be calm and enjoy the experience.
The 80% Rule
If the goal is to trim off some unwanted fat then give your body what it needs without being overly restricting and only eat until you are 80% full. Use the 80% rule to mindfully eat your way to satisfaction without the drawbacks of incessant hunger. Get used to your bodies signals. When you feel like you’ve had enough, take a breath, stop eating and move on with your day.
Take a look at the article below for more info so that you can begin to understand just how important these lessons really are.
Until next time,
-Coach Kev